


diamond rings don't mean a thing

by kaigazing



Series: tumblr prompts [2]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Oral Sex, and Sex Sex??
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-05
Updated: 2018-01-05
Packaged: 2019-02-28 17:41:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13276593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaigazing/pseuds/kaigazing
Summary: Chanyeol wakes up with an engagement ring on and has absolutely no idea how it got there.





	diamond rings don't mean a thing

**Author's Note:**

> anonymous on tumblr: Baekhyun wanting to propose to Yeol but being so nervous that he just puts the ring on Yeols finger while he sleeps.
> 
>  
> 
> original prompt is much longer but i don't want to give the story away!! also, warnings: there's some self-deprecation and feelings of worthlessness from one of the guys. i don't want to trigger anyone, so please read at your own risk! its a happy ending, i swear!

Nothing could beat the feeling of waking up in an actual bed, with a box spring and frame, rather than just a mattress shoved in the corner. Cuddling is now a display of affection, rather than a means of survival during the chill of winter when the barely functioning heater decided to stop working. The lights no longer suddenly went off after being unable to pay the bills; there were no incessant knocking paired with yelled threats from the landlady when rent was months late. Chanyeol can wake up without feeling like the entire world sat on his chest, restricting him from doing anything other than unrewarding _workworkwork_ just to make sure they could keep a roof over their heads. Things aren’t perfect, but life is starting to feel _normal_ again and that’s all Chanyeol could hope for.

 

He smiles at the weight on his chest, the arm draped over his waist, and the legs tangled with his. He would choose to stay like this if he could, just him and Baekhyun, under the bedsheets without a single worry. The rosy thought is soon replaced by disgust, however, when he swallows and _tastes_ how bad his breath smells.

 

Chanyeol gently untangles his legs from Baekhyun’s, causing Baekhyun to stir and let out a cute whine. Chanyeol stills as Baekhyun grips at his hip before settling down again.

 

“Mornin’,” Baekhyun mumbles, eyes still closed.

 

Chanyeol kisses the crown of his head. “Go back to sleep, babe. I’m just gonna brush my teeth.”

 

Baekhyun doesn’t protest, letting go of Chanyeol and turning onto to his side. Chanyeol stays for a moment longer, tracing the moles on Baekhyun’s bare back with his eyes. Unable to stop himself, he pushes forward and kiss one on his shoulder blade, drawing another sleepy whine from Baekhyun.

 

Pursing his lips to muffle his chuckle, Chanyeol finally gets out the bed and heads to the bathroom, stumbling a few times due to his sleep-muddied brain and blurry vision. Once he’s inside, he picks up his toothbrush and toothpaste without little thought. He stares at his blurry image in the mirror, black hair wild from sleep. After, when he goes to wash his hands, a strange glint from his left hand catches his attention. He flips his hand over, brow furrowing in confusion.

 

There’s a black ring on his ring finger.

 

He blinks.

 

_Ring finger._

Suddenly, he’s all too aware of the blood pumping through his body, his heartbeat audible in his ears. Where the hell did a ring come from? Who put it there? Is this some stupid joke? Did one his friends sneak it on him last night when he was tipsy? Chanyeol doesn’t remember going to sleep with one on, and he’d remember getting fucking _proposed_ to.

 

He quickly puts his contacts, rips the ring off his finger, and brings it closer to his face.

 

Whoever picked out the ring had good taste, at least. The body was a metallic coal with one large square diamond embedded in the center and smaller diamonds spaced evenly around the rest of the circumference. It looks expensive, and none of his friends are rolling in enough cash to buy him an expensive ring for the sake of a joke.

 

Chanyeol peeks around the corner of the doorway and looks at the bed. Baekhyun has turned on his back and is now awake, slowly blinking his eyes to adjust to the morning sunlight.

 

Did Baekhyun... _propose_ to him last night? He tries to remember anything, but comes up blank. After they came home from chicken and beer with their friends, he remembers taking a shower (which Baekhyun coyly intruded on, leading to things getting a little _risqué_ ) before going to bed and passing out.

 

Chanyeol steels his determination and walks over to the bed, the ring still in his hand.

 

“Baek,” he says, holding the ring up. “What’s this?”

 

Baekhyun looks over at him sleepy eyes, and for a moment breathing escapes Chanyeol. The morning light casts over Baekhyun, highlighting his light brown, sleep-mussed hair and giving his bare upper body an ethereal glow. The white bed sheets under him and bunched around his waist giving him a blank backdrop on which his beauty is only intensified. He looks every part the angel Chanyeol is convinced he is.

 

Baekhyun breaks the illusion when his eyes widen at the sight of the ring. He quickly sits up, looking frantic. “I can explain.”

 

“Please do,” says Chanyeol as he moves to sit on the bed, legs crisscrossed, and hands on his lap as he toys with the ring. “Is it what I think it is?”

 

Baekhyun grips the sheets. “If you think it’s an engagement ring, then yeah, it is.”

 

“How—“ Chanyeol pauses, gulping to wet his suddenly dry throat. “I don’t remember...”

 

“That’s because I put it on while you were sleeping,” Baekhyun says, his voice barely above a whisper.

 

Words evade Chanyeol in that moment. He manages to force out, “W-why?”

 

Baekhyun averts his gaze to his lap and grips the sheets so tight his knuckles turn white. “I was scared.”

 

“Of what?”

 

“What do you think?” Baekhyun mumbles.

 

Baekhyun, his confident and persistent and optimistic Baekhyun, is scared of rejection? This is the man who day after day went to auditions—even at their lowest, dirt poor point—with a smile on his face and returned home with one even after he was dismissed with a “you’re a great singer, but you’re just not what we’re looking for”. He waited tables and worked odd jobs with the same smile, confident that his shot at Broadway was coming soon and that he just needed to keep trying. Fuck, Chanyeol used to get more emotional about Baekhyun’s dismissals because he _knew_ how talented he was and how much he deserved those parts. But Baekhyun would always calm him down with that cute, boxy smile as they sat on the dusty floor of that old, shitty apartment sharing cup noodles, and sing to calm him down.

 

That Baekhyun fears rejection? From _him_?

 

“What are you talking about? Why wouldn’t I say yes?” Chanyeol says, utterly confused. “We’ve been together for five years.”

 

“And the past three have been absolute _shit_ ,” Baekhyun forces out. “Not because of you, never because of you, but because of _me_.”

 

Chanyeol’s mind races as he spirals deeper into his confusion. “What the hell are you talking about?”

 

“I don’t know how you’ve stayed with me for all these years.”

 

“Baekhyun, stop.”

 

“I was such a _burden_ with this stupid dream of mine.”

 

“Your dream was not stupid and I never thought of you as a burden—“

 

“ _You should have_!” Baekhyun yells, and Chanyeol rears back like he was slapped.

 

Baekhyun’s beautiful brown eyes well up with tears. “Everything you did was for me. You worked four jobs just to make sure we had a place to sleep. Fuck, you gave up painting for me! When was the last time you even looked at your acrylics?”

 

Chanyeol blinks, realizing Baekhyun is right. He shoved his box of acrylic paint under the sink back in their old apartment and never took them out after he had to start working four jobs. He simply didn’t have time to pursue his interests when his mind was concerned with how to pay the bills.

 

“You gave up your dream to help support mine and you _never_ asked for anything in return. While you were off working like a slave to scrap up enough money for rent, I was off getting rejected by every fucking musical producer in New York City.”

 

“What are you saying?” Chanyeol asks, suddenly hit by a wave of anger. “You worked your ass off, too! We both had shit jobs that made us miserable.”

 

“But you did so much more,” Baekhyun sobs, putting his face into his hands. “Day after day, you just worked. I could see how miserable you were, but you’d always smile at me and tell me how beautiful my voice was and how it was Broadway’s loss, not mine, and all I could give you in return was my love.”

 

Chanyeol’s vision becomes misty as he swallows the lump that’s formed in his throat. “When did you start thinking that wasn’t enough for me?” Even to himself, Chanyeol’s voice sounds so little.

 

“How could it not be?” Baekhyun responds just as quietly.

 

Chanyeol surges forward, bringing Baekhyun into a tight embrace. Baekhyun willingly falls into him, wrapping his arms around Chanyeol’s waist and plating his face into Chanyeol’s shoulder. Chanyeol can only stroke his hair as Baekhyun muffles his sobs into Chanyeol’s shirts.

 

Chanyeol finally lets his own tears fall as he rocks them gently. He sniffs and places a consoling kiss on the crown of Baekhyun’s head.

 

It takes a few minutes for them to calm themselves down enough to speak coherently again, but Chanyeol doesn’t stop stroking Baekhyun’s head and their grips don’t loosen even the slightest. Baekhyun turns his head to the side, giving Chanyeol the chance to swoop down and kiss his forehead. The giggle he gets in response makes his heart flutter.

 

“Why are you suddenly saying all this?” Chanyeol whispers.

 

“It’s just... _built_ up over the past couple of years, I guess,” Baekhyun says with a small shrug. “I was too scared to propose because I thought you’d sudden realize that I’m really not worth it.”

 

Chanyeol pushes Baekhyun back and lifts his chin to look him directly in the eyes. With as much love as he can muster into his words, he says, “You’ve _always_ been worth it to me.”

 

Chanyeol swears he sees Baekhyun’s eyes sparkle as his mouth hangs open. As if by instinct, they close their eyes as they slowly gravitate toward each other until their lips meet in the sweetest touch. They move their lips together, Baekhyun’s hands moving to grip at his hips while Chanyeol cup’s Baekhyun’s neck to keep him close.

 

Baekhyun pulls back, nipping at Chanyeol’s bottom lip before releasing it and looking up at the taller.

 

“I love you so much,” he whispers.

 

“Not as much as I love you,” Chanyeol teases, rubbing his thumbs over Baekhyun’s cheekbones.

 

Baekhyun’s lips quirk into a tiny smirk. “Wanna bet?”

 

“You’re on,” Chanyeol breathes just before their lips crash together again, passion filling their veins.

 

Chanyeol gently pushed Baekhyun down into mattress and straddles his hips without disconnect their lips. Baekhyun’s hands leave fire in their wake as they travel down his back and slip into his boxer-briefs and grab his ass. Chanyeol jerks in shock, disconnecting their lips with a low moan. Baekhyun only smirks and chases after his lips again, taking the opportunity to slide his tongue into Chanyeol’s open mouth.

 

Chanyeol settles against Baekhyun again, rutting his clothed hard on against Baekhyun’s. They moan together at the pleasurable sensation, and Baekhyun tightens his grasp on Chanyeol’s ass.

 

Chanyeol’s hips follows the direction and speed Baekhyun’s hands direct them to, keeping their lower halves hot with pleasure while Chanyeol moves away from Baekhyun’s lips and moves down to his neck.

 

As he sucks a hickey into Baekhyun’s neck, he ruts his hips forward to drag their cocks together, their underwear providing delicious friction.

 

Baekhyun lets out a breathy sigh. “ _Fuck_.”

 

It’s Chanyeol’s turn to smirk as he moves down Baekhyun’s body, trailing kisses and nips down his abs down to his thin happy trail, right above the elastic of his pale blue boxers. He palms at the erection through the cloth, earning a groan from above him. Chanyeol spares a glance up Baekhyun, and feels his cock twitch at the sight of his boyfriend’s head twisted to the side, eyes clenched shut and chest rising and falling with deep breaths.

 

Chanyeol can do better than _that_.

 

He slides the boxers down, allowing Baekhyun’s cock to spring up and bob against his abs. He gives the underside a slow lick, relishing in Baekhyun’s stuttered breath, before sucking on the head. Baekhyun’s hands shoot to pull at his hair as he lets out another groan. Chanyeol puts all his effort into sucking Baekhyun off, bobbing down until he’s deep throating his cock and Baekhyun has his head thrown back into the pillows, bottom lip between his teeth. Chanyeol rubs at his hips, causing him to cant his hip further into the wet heat.

 

“ _Yeol_ ,” Baekhyun pants, running his fingers through the jet black locks.

 

Chanyeol hums and sucks hard, continuing his bobbing. The salty taste of precum no longer bothers him in the slightest as he tries to work up Baekhyun as much as he can. He releases Baekhyun’s cock, kissing down until he reaches his balls. Baekhyun legs stiffen when Chanyeol brings them into his mouth while his hand starts to slowly jerk him off, the spit from the blowjob making the slide easy.

 

Baekhyun starts chanting his name, paired with breathy “ _fucks_ ” and “ _shits_ ” as he continues to suck and lick like his life depends on it. Chanyeol relishes in his smooth voice and the sharp tugs on his hair, proud to be pulling these kinds of noises from his love.

 

“Mm, baby,” Baekhyun forces out, using his grip on Chanyeol’s hair to gently pull him up. “Stop, I’m gonna come.”

 

Chanyeol releases his balls and cock, moving back up Baekhyun’s body until they’re face to face. Baekhyun shifts his hands to Chanyeol’s neck and pulls him into an open mouth, messy kiss.

 

“Fuck, you’re so good at sucking cock,” Baekhyun moans into his mouth.

 

Chanyeol nips the mole right above Baekhyun’s upper lip. “You’ve given me a lot of practice.”

 

Baekhyun smirks and chuckles, his eyes dark with lust. “My turn.” He rolls them over and settled between Chanyeol’s parted legs. He reaches over to the nightstand, pulling out strawberry-flavored lube and throwing it on the bed next to him.

 

He wastes no time removing Chanyeol’s boxer-briefs, smirking as his neglected cock springs up, red and ready for attention.

 

Baekhyun pats like it’s a pet. “Oh, poor thing. Don’t worry, I didn’t forget about you.”

 

He uncaps the lube and squirts a large amount on his hand, before rubbing them together. He grabs Chanyeol at the base, eliciting a moan. Just like Baekhyun before, Chanyeol throws his head back into the pillows as he’s finally paid attention to.

 

Baekhyun places gentle kisses along his inner thighs before shifting back up to nose at his ball sac. Chanyeol moans again when he sucks on it, hands gripping the sheets tightly.

 

Suddenly, his eyes spring open at feeling of something poking at his hole. Two slender fingers slides in easily and start pumping, going deeper with each thrust. Chanyeol feels close to delirium by the time Baekhyun is adding a third finger and thrusting faster with no intent of slowing down.

 

Chanyeol’s entire lower half buzzes as one hand jerks him off, the other fingers him, and the mouth covers everything between. When Baekhyun’s fingers curve and push forward, he feels himself tremor with pleasure. Chanyeol lets a strangled noise as he grips onto the headboard, rocking his hips down in hopes of getting _more_. His mind is muddied by pleasure of Baekhyun teasing his prostate while jerking him off and nipping at his taint.

 

“Baekhyun, I’m gonna come,” Chanyeol whines breathlessly, the heat in his stomach coiling so tight that it felt painful.

 

However, the stimulation leaves all at once, leaving him a panting and near-sobbing mess.

 

“Wha—“ he tries to say, though he’s finding it difficult to form any words.

 

“ _Shh_ ,” Baekhyun hushes, running his hands over Chanyeol’s thighs.

 

He groans as Baekhyun nudges his cock against his hole. One thought manages to get through his sex-hazed mind and he begins to flip himself over onto his stomach. Baekhyun grips his shoulder, though, and forces him back onto his back.

 

“Stay,” he says firmly.

 

Chanyeol blinks. It’s much easier for Chanyeol to lay on his stomach when he bottoms, considering Baekhyun’s lithe frame and his awkwardly long legs don’t work the best together in missionary. But Baekhyun is insistent, and who is Chanyeol to deny him? He settles back into the pillow and pulls his legs up, giving Baekhyun full control.

 

Baekhyun lubes his cock liberally before lining it up and pushing forward. They moan in unison as Baekhyun bottoms out, hips to ass. Baekhyun falls forward, hands right above Chanyeol’s shoulders.

 

The two stare into each other’s eyes, panting and bodies covered in sweat, but looking like a god to each other.

 

“You’re so beautiful,” Baekhyun breathes.

 

Chanyeol pouts. “That’s my line.”

 

Baekhyun laughs, his rectangle smile and eye smiles coming out full force. “I love you.”

 

Chanyeol smiles his too-wide grin. “I love you, too.” Then he wraps his legs around Baekhyun’s waist and shoves his heels into his ass cheeks, jerking his forward. “Now fuck me, please.”

 

Baekhyun chuckles before giving a solid thrust, knocking Chanyeol up the bed and forcing a moan from him. He picks up the pace immediately, finding a steady rhythm that has Chanyeol’s toes curling. Their lips meet in barely-kisses, both moaning too much to stay connected for long.

 

Baekhyun drops onto Chanyeol’s chest, hands moving to hold up Chanyeol’s thighs as he quickens his thrusts, hitting Chanyeol’s prostate dead on.

 

“ _Fuckfuckfuckfuck_...” Chanyeol chants, his nails digging into Baekhyun’s back as the pleasure becomes too much. His stomach coils tight again, quickly approaching its breaking point. “ _Baekhyun_...”

 

Baekhyun puts extra force into the next couple of thrusts, reacting to his lover’s strained voice, and pushes Chanyeol over the edge. He comes with a low groan, his cum shooting out and covering both their stomachs as his muscles tighten around Baekhyun.

 

Baekhyun continues to fuck in through his orgasm, dragging out Chanyeol’s pleasure as he chases his. With a last forceful thrust and a loud moan, Baekhyun finally comes inside him. Chanyeol giggles at the feeling of being full, cupping Baekhyun’s face and pulling him down for a kiss. They stay like that for what seems like several minutes, connected and touching from head to toe as if they were one.

 

Baekhyun pulls away first, but pushes their foreheads together. “God, I love you so much.”

 

Chanyeol rubs their noses together. “I love you more.”

 

“Not again,” Baekhyun groans, pulling a cheeky laugh from Chanyeol.

 

Baekhyun pulls out and rolls to his side, laying his head on Chanyeol’s bicep. The two bask in the silence as their heartbeats and breathing return to normal.

 

“We need to get ready soon,” Chanyeol says after a few minutes.

 

“Ugh, can’t we just skip?”

 

“They’re _your_ friends.”

 

“ _Ugh_.”

 

It takes a bit of coaxing, but Chanyeol finally gets Baekhyun to role off his arm so he can go take a shower. However, as soon as he stands up the cum in his ass starts to leak. With a yelp and a hand uselessly on his ass, he makes a run for the shower.

 

He ignores Baekhyun’s cackling from the bed.

 

* * *

 

Chanyeol exits the bathroom after he finishes styling his fringe off his forehead and spots Baekhyun, clean and dressed, sitting on the edge of the bed and toying with something. As he moves closer, he recognizes the ring. The engagement ring.

 

“Did it get dirty?” Chanyeol asks.

 

Baekhyun looks up and smiles. “Nah, it fell on the floor.”

 

“Good.”

 

The two fall silent, Chanyeol looking at Baekhyun expectantly while the latter simply blinks up at him.

 

“Well?” Chanyeol prompts, crossing his arms. “Are you gonna do it properly or what?”

 

Baekhyun’s mouth makes an “o” as he realizes what Chanyeol is asking. He stumbles to the ground and struggles to get up on one knee; Chanyeol can’t hide his amusement and grins at the sight. He offers his left hand when Baekhyun reach up for it.

 

“Chanyeol Park,” Baekhyun begins with a deep breath. “You were been by my side through probably the worst period of my life and were my rock for that entire time. Honestly, by the tenth rejection I was ready to call it quits and just resign to some nine to five desk jockey job until retirement, but you told me to keep trying, told me that I had too much talent to just waste it. You _never_ stopped supporting me, and there isn’t enough time in our lives for me to thank you for that. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”

 

Chanyeol can feel the tears welling up in his eyes as Baekhyun pauses to gulp.

 

“I love you to the ends of the earth, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. So, Chanyeol Park, will you do me the honors of marrying me?” Baekhyun looks up at him hopefully, brown eyes shining with adoration and devotion.

 

Chanyeol smiles, his tears running down his cheeks. “With a face like that, how could I say anything other than yes?”

 

Baekhyun breaks into a wide grin and struggles to slide the ring onto Chanyeol’s ring finger with his shaking hands. Both of them laugh and give a little cheer when Baekhyun finally manages to slide it all the way down. Chanyeol then pulls him up, cups his face, and leans down to give him a kiss. Baekhyun holds onto his wrists and responds in full.

 

The two stay there, swaying in their apartment as they kiss, the gems of the engagement ring sparkling in the sunlight.

 

* * *

 

“How’d you afford the ring, by the way?” Chanyeol asks as they walk toward the bar they’re set to meet Baekhyun’s Broadway friends at.

 

Baekhyun’s cheeks color and he suddenly turns sheepish. “Promise you won’t be angry?”

 

Chanyeol narrows his eyes. “What did you do?”

 

“Don’t look at me like that! I didn’t do anything.” Baekhyun pouts. “It’s not really an engagement ring. The jeweler called a FPR, a ‘for placement ring’.”

 

“What’s that mean?”

 

“It means those aren’t diamonds. They’re cubic zirconia.”

 

Chanyeol blinks, still unsure what that means.

 

“It’s a cheap ring, Chanyeol.” A glum aura settles around Baekhyun. “I’m too poor to afford real diamonds right now, but I still wanted to propose. We can pick out something really nice as soon as I have the money. And you can choose what you want!”

 

Chanyeol smiles softly and brings Baekhyun’s hand up to his lips. “I don’t need a diamond to know that you love me.”

 

“Yeah, I guess,” Baekhyun sighs, leaning his head on Chanyeol’s shoulder. “But you deserve one.”

 

Chanyeol simply kisses his crown, not wanting to argue on such an amazing day.

 

At the bar, Baekhyun introduces him to Jongdae and Minseok who he met on the set of the upcoming production Baekhyun was casted for. Jongdae turns out to be the male lead, the best friend of Baekhyun’s supportive role, while Minseok plays another supporting character along side Baekhyun. The duo makes a hilarious pair and Chanyeol enjoys them both as he’s slapping his knee at some of their stories.

 

“Oo, is that an _engagement ring_ I spot?” Jongdae says after they’ve all calmed down from one of their set stories.

 

Chanyeol looks down at his left hand holding his beer, his stomach fluttering at the sight of the ring.

 

“What the fuck, when did that happen?” Minseok asks, looking at Baekhyun for answers.

 

Baekhyun swallows his swig of beer before smiling. “This morning.”

 

Both Minseok and Jongdae let out yells and freak out in their seats, catching the attention of the rest of the bar.

 

“Congrats!” Jongdae cheers.

 

“Shit, now I have to buy you two a round. Couldn’t you have waited a day?” Minseok teases.

 

“They’re getting married!” Jongdae announces to the bar, and suddenly Chanyeol wants to sink into the ground.

 

Baekhyun puts a hand to his mouth to stop himself from spitting his beer out. He quickly swallows it and tries to grab Jongdae across the table. “ _Dae_!”

 

Chanyeol puts his head on the table, unable to hold back his laughter as Jongdae argues that he’s trying to get them all free drinks.

 

 _Married._ Chanyeol twists the metallic coal ring as Baekhyun and Jongdae continue to bicker in the background, warmth filling his entire body (and it’s not from the alcohol).

 

He turns his head to see a frustrated Baekhyun glare at Jongdae as several drinks are placed on their table, the bartender leaving them with a small, “Congratulations.” Baekhyun looks to him and rolls his eyes, but his small smile peaking out behind his hand betrays his real feelings.

 

Chanyeol couldn’t imagine anyone else he’d want to spend his forever with.

**Author's Note:**

> yall i did it i wrote the sex are you proud
> 
> i enjoyed writing this one!! it took me a day to really get into it, but after i slept on it i really knew the direction i wanted it to go in. i definitely enjoy toying with the idea of starving artists!baekyeol in nyc (probably due to my fear that /i/ will end up as the starving artist in nyc, but i wont have chanyeol to hug me at night :( )
> 
> anyway, thank you! i've got four more prompts to tackle so bye!


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